Surprises
by aradiamegid013
Summary: Karkat is running from bullies...
1. Introductions

He was running. His breath had become rather ragged and expended. He didn't have the energy to go much further into the woods. The wind seemed to static around him and the thunder cracked in the distance. The static grew louder and louder until he had to clutch his hands to his ears.

This boy's name was Karkat Vantas, and he was fighting a massive headache. The static was making it worse. He started slowing down, breathing becoming rapid. Then he saw it. A tall faceless man was standing there in the distance, watching. He began to turn around, but the minute he did, Karkat could see the man again in the distance. Everywhere he turned, the man stood there, and it seemed that the man was getting closer.

The child fell on the ground and hugged himself tightly. The salty tears were streaming down his face, then he was there. The man was towering over him. The man spoke with the mouth he didn't have. It sounded like a thousand echoes booming in his head.

"Well nøw. What have we here? Anøther little øne whø just sø happened tø stumble intø my wøøds. I just løve it when they cøme intø my dømain, nøt knøwing what tø expect. Yøu knøw, they say 'curiøsity killed the cat.' Well, I guess it døubles før human children. Døn't wørry nøw child; This will ønly hurt a løt," he cooed in a surprisingly sympathetic tone.

Karkat shivered and started to sob. The man picked him up with his long, flexible tentacles protruding from his back. The slick tendril threw the limber boy into the darkness that suddenly surrounded them. Then, everything faded.

We switch to another place; we travel to the other side of the country in an instant. Another little boy is sitting at home. His mother comes upstairs to his room with news to tell. They're moving. This boy's name is Jeff.

"Mom, why do we have to move?" Jeff asked.

Liu, his elder brother, looked at him with sympathy.

She sighed audibly. "Jeff, sweety, your father has just gotten a big promotion, so we need to move to accommodate him. We're moving to a new city in Washington where we will be living in a bigger house, and you two will be going to a bigger, better school."

With that the woman turned and left. The suburban home in Florida would be empty by the beginning of next week.

Jeff stomped across his room to pack his things. He heard a _pat-pat-pat _behind him. Jeff turned and saw his dog, Smile. They had gotten him when Jeff was three, and he had named the husky pup Smile because it looked as if the dog was smiling. Smile nudged his way under Jeff's hand, and Jeff pet the dog lovingly, saying "You're a good boy," to assure the husky everything was okay. He sighed and looked out his window. There were some boys beating up a bunch of little kids. Something hit him, more than anger. But he brushed it off for now, as it was getting late. He'd deal with it in the morning.

We travel back to the first boy, Karkat. He is currently having his unconscious body strapped to a stone wall for preservation. The slick tendrils peeled off the boy's sweat soaked clothing. This boy is covered in cuts. The Slender Man assesses the wounds. These were not simple forest scratches. This boy was beaten by someone, and it wasn't an older human. The bruises were the size of a small fist. This boy was being bullied. The Slender Man concluded that that was why this boy die-bombed into the woods.

Slendy, his pet name, grabbed some bandages from the nearby operating table. His assistant, Sally, must have left them there, with the inclusion of some pain killers. This would work perfectly.

The Slender Man wrapped the boy and cleansed his test subject before taking a final look at the young boy. He looked about ten. His face was slightly angled, but still had a single layer of baby fat. His white hair lay haphazardly across his forehead. It was short and had a semi-style to it. The pile of duck fluff on his head was knotted from the fist fight he appeared to have lost. His skin was an extremely fair white. All angles of the ten-year-old were slightly curved and not very defined.

Karkat coughed and sputtered, his eyes fluttering open. They widened at the sight of the Slender Man, the red eyes worried and scared. The boy tried to scream, but found that he was gagged. Slendy jumped when the boy made a sound.

"Shhh, my child." Slender Man said soothingly. "I am just mødifying yøur hørribly beat-up and bruised bødy. All I am attempting tø dø is heal yøu. Yøu understand, døn't yøu?"

The boy thought for a minute, and hesitantly agreed to let this man help him. He didn't have much of a choice, however, so there wouldn't be any use in protesting. What was he trying to accomplish? Was he going to be a sacrifice? _Oh god, _he thought. _Maybe I'm going to die. _

The faceless deity looked like he gave a smile.

"I'm glad yøu have decided tø cøøperate. Nøw, if yøu wøuldn't mind, tell me abøut yøurself. If I am able tø dø with yøu what I want tø, we will be spending quite a bit øf time tøgether. I want tø knøw at least sømething abøut yøu."

Karkat took a deep breathe, unsure about trusting this man, before speaking, "My name is Karkat Vantas." he spoke in an unusually, for him, quiet tone. "I was born here in Washington. I live with my abusive, drunk father, my drug addict mother, my sixteen year old man whore of a brother, my fifteen year old sister who currently resides at Eastern State Hospital, and finally, my autistic little sister. She is obsessed with cats, and I mean she skinned a few and made a stupid little hat."

The Slender Man stood in silence while he cleaned up the remains of the bandages.

He noticed the conversation had stopped, so he urged him on, "Gø øn."

"Well, I'm in the sixth grade, and I have some...bullies."

The Slender Man shot awake at the word. He had grown up with bullies of his own, but his were verbal, not physical. He was suddenly intrigued with in this boy's life, and ceased with his tidying and turned his full attention to the boy.

"Tell me abøut these bullies øf yøurs. I wasn't sure if that was where yøur cuts came frøm, but I want tø knøw abøut them."

"Their names are Randy, Keith, and Troy. They are the biggest bunches of assholes I've ever met! They're all thirteen, and in the seventh grade. They-"

"Wait a minute," the Slender Man interrupted, "Yøu mentiøned priør that yøu were in the sixth grade, and they are thirteen and in the seventh grade, are yøu truly twelve human years øld?"

"What? NO!" feeling more comfortable around his captor, he returned to his normal volume. "THOSE DUMBASSES WEREN'T ABLE TO PASS THE SEVENTH GRADE WITH THEIR GRADUATING CLASS! I JUST SKIPPED INTO THE SIXTH LAST YEAR. ACCORDING TO MY INSTRUCTORS, THE WORK FOR MY GIFTED PROGRAM STILL DIDN'T CHALLENGE ME AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD HAVE. MY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO UPGRADE ME TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL TO INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY OF THE WORK."

"Yøu seem tø carry a higher mindset then the øthers yøur grade level even. Høw øld are yøu?" the faceless man chuckled.

"TEN."

"Sø, my hunch was right."

Their conversation continues to the Slender Man asking a sensitive question to the boy.

"Dø yøu want tø return høme?"

The question hung in the air for a minute. Slender Man was suddenly regretting asking the question.

Karkat spoke, "No."


	2. Talking to a Friend

"I'm sørry?"

"I said no. I don't want to return to that hellhole."

Karkat's voice was quiet, like he didn't want to admit it. He turned his head away from the Slender Man, not making eye contact.

"Well then it's settled. I am gøing tø take yøu in and raise yøu as my new apprentice. I will intrøduce yøu to Sally, but that will cøme later as yøu need tø get used tø yøur surrøundings. That is, If yøu accept my øffer."

His voice was almost at a whisper as he spoke, "Okay."

"Øh please støp with the mumbling, I can't understand."

"OKAY! I'LL STAY HERE WITH YOU."

"Gøød, nøw let's get yøu dressed and tø yøur røøm." Slender Man said sweetly.

Karkat jumped off of the operating table and landed on his feet, "I GET MY OWN ROOM! I'VE HAD TO SHARE ONE WITH KANKRI FOR SUCH A LONG TIME!"

"'Kankri?' Is that yøur brøther?"

"YEAH. HE NEVER SHUTS UP! HE JUST SEEMS TO GO ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT 'Equality' AND triggers' AND 'It w9uld 6e in every69dy's 6est interest if-' GOD!"

"We must certainly wørk øn that brash temper øf yøurs."

"I KNOW. MY MOTHER SAYS I HAVE A BAD ONE... WHEN SHE ISN'T STONED OFF HER ASS."

"Døn't yøu have any friends?"

"UM.. YEAH! HER NAME IS ARADIA MEGIDO. I WOULD DIE FOR HER SAFETY. SHE IS THE ONLY REASON I HAVEN'T KILLED MYSELF YET."

"I see," said the Slender Man. "Wøuld yøu be willing tø alløw me tø bring her tø yøu?"

"NO!... She has so much more going for her.. I don't want to take her from that."

We switch to another character, now a girl. She is the same age as Karkat, but has knee-length, curly black hair. She dresses in a black pencil skirt with a black polo shirt. This girl is Karkat's next door neighbor. Her name is Aradia Megido.

Aradia is easily one of the sweetest girl alive, but she is an orphan. Her parents were killed during a mountain climbing expedition, and she has lived with her grandmother ever since. Right now, she is mourning for her friend's safety.

apocalypseArisen began pestering carcinoGeneticist at 9:53

AA: kitkat?

AA: are y0u there?

AA: please be 0kay.

We go back to the original boy. He is wearing a black dress shirt, black dress pants, and a candy red bowtie.. He feels a vibration in his back pocket, and comes to the conclusion that his phone is alerting him of a new pesterchum message. He turns to Slender Man for an okay. Once received, he begins to check and see that the message is from his best friend Aradia. He replies back to her.

CG: YEAH I'M FINE. WHY WOULDN'T I BE?

CG: HEY GUESS WHAT. YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS RUNNING FROM RANDY AND HIS GROUP WHEN I RAN INTO THE WOODS.

AA: again?!

AA: karkat, y0u need t0 tell s0me0ne ab0ut that!

AA: i d0nt like it when y0u get hurt!

CG: I DID.

CG: BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME IF I TOLD YOU WHO IT WAS.

AA: karkat

AA: im assuming that because 0f y0ur apprehensi0n, it is s0me0ne 0f an0ther w0rld.

CG: OKAY. YOUR RIGHT.

AA: since y0u have just t0ld me im right, i als0 feel i have the right t0 be 0ffended by the th0ught 0f y0u n0t telling me ab0ut a paran0rmal enc0unter y0u may 0r may n0t have had.

AA: i mean, it seems t0 me that ive always t0ld y0u ab0ut every enc0unter ive had. especially c0nsidering that ive been l00king f0r the paran0rmal since i c0uld walk.

CG: I SUPPOSE I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANGER TOWARDS THE SITUATION BECAUSE ALL OF THAT IS TRUE. I WAS JUST UNSURE IF YOU WOULD TAKE ME SERIOUSLY IN THE EVENT THAT I DID TELL YOU ABOUT THE SITUATION I SEEM TO FIND MY SELF IN, AND THE SITUATION YOU FIND YOURSELF IN, WHICH THOUGH RIGHTFULLY LABELED AS A SITUATION, IS SLIGHTLY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE SITUATION I FIND MYSELF IN.

AA: karkat, what are y0u saying?

CG: WE BOTH SEEM TO FIND OURSELVES IN A CLUSTER FUCK OF SITUATIONS. I SHOULD PROBABLY TELL YOU MINE. AFTER I RAN INTO THE WOODS, I STARTED TO HEAR THIS STATIC-ISH SOUND, AND IT JUST KEPT GETTING LOUDER. THEN I SAW IT.

AA: saw what? 0h, let me guess! Hmm... static s0und in the w00ds 0f Washingt0n... i think ive read that in a b00k s0mewhere. it seems t0 ring a bell.

AA: 0h! y0u must have seen the Slender Man! i've read quite a bit ab0ut him.

AA: wait, are y0u telling me that y0u have seen him, and y0ur alive n0w?

CG: THOUGH IT DOESN'T MAKE MUCH FUCKING SENSE TO ME EITHER, I'M NOT GONNA LOOK A GIFT-HORSE IN THE MOUTH. HE WANTS TO TAKE ME IN, AND RAISE ME AS ONE OF HIS STUDENTS.

AA: but why? i mean, y0ure just a human.

CG: WE'RE WORKING ON THAT NOW, APPARENTLY, HE'S GOING TO CHANGE ME INTO A DEMON... BUT I'LL NEVER HAVE TO GO HOME AGAIN!

AA: KARKAT! this is crazy! th0ugh i kn0w this w0n't matter t0 y0u, i can n0t c0nd0ne this activity! but... being y0ur best friend...

AA: im g0ing t0 g0 against my better judgement and supp0rt y0u.

AA: g00d luck 0ut there. i g0tta g0.

CG: ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, ARADIA. I'LL COME AND SEE YOU- I PROMISE!

AA: pinkie pr0mise?

CG: CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY, STICK A CUPCAKE IN MY EYE. I'M GONNA SEE YOU SOON.

CG:

AA:

apocalypseArisen has ceased pestering carcinoGeneticist at 21:53

The diamond has represented their friendship for as long as each of them could remember. Karkat had read somewhere about how to do a card trick. Once he perfected it, he tried it on Aradia. She picked her card, and Karkat guessed it correctly. It was the Ace of Diamonds, and the diamond became their symbol of friendship ever since.


	3. The Fight

We travel back to Jeffrey. He has just moved to Washington; it just so happens that his home is located at the forefront of the Slender Man forest. His mother has instructed that Jeff and his brother not enter the woods without an adult, and they don't expect to break the rule. Tomorrow is his first day of school in his new home.

The night quickly fades to day in his sleep, and Jeff is soon waiting with his brother at the bus stop. A boy on his bike with two friends ride toward the siblings. One begins to hassle them for their money. This boy's name, is Randy. Randy and his friends turn to pull out small pocket knifes. A fist fight quickly escalades with a child stabbed and Jeff and his brother victorious.

Jeff is now sitting at home in his room and looks out of his window into the woods. There he is. The Slender Man is watching- waiting. He doesn't advance out of the shrubs, but Jeff can see him. Jeff can see him, and he gets the same feeling in his stomach that drove him to stab a child at the bus stop; Jeff doesn't enjoy this feeling, so he turns his head back to his bed. Quickly shutting the curtains, Jeff goes to sleep.

One knows that after sleep falls, a dream rises. Jeff has one. He's walking in the woods with that man. There is a dog with a horribly sickening smile and a girl with red and black eyes that looks like she suffered a terrible head trauma. There's something else- She has the horns of a ram in her mess of curly black hair. She's holding hands with a boy that is a few inches taller than her. His hair is blonde, but it's contained underneath a green cap. He shares the same eyes as the girl he's holding hands with. He looks a bit like a video game character by the name of Link. There's someone else. Jeff is holding hands with someone. His hair is snow white and his eyes are a bright, glowing red. His fangs shine a bright white. Within his hair, there are two little nubby horns the same color as the other girls. When Jeff makes eye contact with the boy, his heart seems to drop with an amazingly pleasant feeling. He seems so happy to be with him.

The dream was over in an instant. The warm fuzzy feeling still lingered in the room as Jeff's alarm clock blared. He was pretty curious about it, but he didn't have the time to dwell on such trivial affairs, he had to get ready for school. His routine was started with going downstairs for breakfast. He pushed his feet off of his bed and walked past his mirror. His shoulder length brown hair was messy and knotted. It draped over a loose black fitting tee shirt and black and white plaid pajama pants. He trotted down the stairs, and was greeted by a distressed looking mother and two police officers.

"Jeff, there was a fight at school, but this wasn't any ordinary fight, children were stabbed Jeff! Stabbed!"

Seeing no way out of the situation, he owned up to it. The police walked towards the boy with their cuffs in hand, but Liu was standing in the doorway, knife in hand.

"It was me." Liu said sadly. "I-I swear I didn't mean to, b-but they came onto us so I did what I could to p-protect my little brother and myself. I-I'm so-orry!"

The stockier police officer huffed towards Liu as he dropped the knife. Cuffing the boy, he walked him outside and into the police car. Jeff was wailing in tears, screaming that it was his self, but it was too late. The car drove off into the distance leaving Jeff to prepare for Friday's day of school.


	4. BEN

We travel once more to the final player in our game of life. His story takes place the day Jeff moves to his neighborhood. His name is BEN. He prefers his name in all caps as he wants to be known by all. BEN is a gamer, and he especially loves the Legend of Zelda games. His favorite is The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. He had all the masks and was close to finishing it, but his game glitched and he was never able to play it again.

An old man came over one evening. He said he had just moved in next door, and was asking if they had any old video games, as his grandson was coming and he didn't have any games for their Gamecube. BEN thought he could pawn off his old glitched Majora's Mask game, thinking the old man was just trying to earn some extra cash. He ran upstairs and grabbed it from his Gamecube and gave it to him. The old man left, and never bothered them again.

Speaking of new neighbors, BEN saw a moving truck in front of the house across the street. It was a big 2-story abode, and the family had a mother, a father, and 2 brothers- one older than the other. He thought it might be nice to go visit them, and see if either one was his age. He never got the opportunity.

Maybe he might invite them to his upcoming birthday party. He was turning 14. Though the party was for the soon-to-be 14 year old, it was more like a play-date between a few groups of kids. BEN was most likely going to stay upstairs while his little brother, Benjamin, played with his friends.,

Later that night, while BEN was finishing up his newest video game, The Calling, he heard a commotion out on the street. He stood up and looked out the window. Across the road were the neighborhood bullies, Randy and his gang. They were beating up a little brown-haired boy with a white, blood-stained t-shirt. It reminded him of the little white-haired boy. They had beat him up not too long ago. Luckily he escaped into the woods, but no one had seen him since. One of his closest friends was best friends with the boy, and she was worried sick about him.

BEN had a bit of an infatuation with the girl. He loved the way the curls in her hair still reached down to below her knee. He loved the way her eyes were the color of rust, and he loved the way she cared about all of her friends. It was fair to say that he wanted to be with her, but given their current platonic relationship, he didn't want to risk the friendship, so he watched from afar.

BEN turned back to his game, when suddenly, he felt someone- something- watching him. He spun around and hesitantly looked out the window, scanning the street. The bullies and the brown-haired boy were gone, but there was an almost invisible trail of blood leading back down the road towards the forest. _Why does everyone run to the forest?_ he wondered. Then he saw... it.

It was staring at him. Watching his every move. He wanted to look away, tear his eyes away from that... thing! But it was impossible. They were locked in a staring contest, and no one wanted to blink. Finally, BEN's eyes started to tear up, so he quickly blinked. But when he reopened his eyes, it was gone. He turned back to his Wii game and continued playing late into the night. BEN was shook up from the experience, but sooner or later his head bobbed and he passed out on his bed.


End file.
